Sheffield Council to hold virtual meetings

Sheffield Council is due to start holding virtual meetings to keep up decision making during the coronavirus pandemic.

It follows new legislation from the government which allows local authorities to conduct meetings remotely - which was until now not legal.

If all runs smoothly at the authority's first ever virtual meeting on April 14, decision making could continue during the physical distancing period.

Members on the licensing sub committee will decide if a new Bench Bar should be allowed a premises licence at 10am on Tuesday.

Councillor Terry Fox, deputy leader of the council, said: "The new regulations allow the council to hold meetings remotely without all, or any, of the councillors physically present in a room. This can be done by remote means, including telephone conferencing, video conferencing, live webchat and live streaming. We are working to make that happen.”

The webcast for the first meeting will be available on this link: http://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=155&MId=7424&Ver=4